Leonora van den Heever
Leonora van den Heever | |
|---|---|
| Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa | |
| In office 1991–1996 | |
| Judge of the High Court of South Africa | |
| In office 1969–1990 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 July 1926 Windhoek, South West Africa |
| Died | 20 November 2025 (aged 99) Cape Town, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Spouse(s) | Christo Neethling |
| Relations | Toon van den Heever |
| Alma mater | University of Pretoria University of the Free State |
Leonora van den Heever (9 July 1926 – 20 November 2025) was a High Court judge in South Africa. She was the first woman to become a judge in the country and the first female judge on South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal.[1][2][3]
Early life and education
[change | change source]Van den Heever was born in Windhoek to her parents, Toon van den Heever and Margaretha van den Heever (née Rautenbach). She went to C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje in Bloemfontein and later studied at the University of Pretoria. There, she earned her BA degree in English and Latin with honors (cum laude) and later completed her MAdegree in English, also with honors (cum laude).[4] She first worked as a teacher at Normaalkollege in Bloemfontein. However, her father convinced her to take a temporary job as a judge’s registrar. At the same time, she studied part-time for her LLB at the University of the Orange Free State and graduated in 1951.[5]
Career
[change | change source]Van den Heever began working as a lawyer at the Bloemfontein Bar in 1952 and became a senior lawyer in 1968. In 1969, she was appointed as a judge in the Northern Cape Division, making her the first female judge in South Africa.[4] In 1979, she joined the Cape Provincial Division, and between 1982 and 1985, she sometimes served on the Bophuthatswana Court of Appeal.
In 1991, she became the first woman to be appointed as a permanent judge in the appellate division of the South African Supreme Court in Bloemfontein, where she worked until she retired. After retiring at 70, she continued working for some time in the Cape Provincial Division and also served for several years on the Appeal Benches in Lesotho and Swaziland.[2]
Other interests
[change | change source]Van den Heever loved literature and wrote two children's books. She also wrote short stories under a different name for Sarie magazine.[1] She was a trustee of the Ballet Benevolent Fund for CAPAB, a board member of the South African Youth Orchestra, and the chairperson of the South African Library Board.[2]
Death
[change | change source]Van den Heever died on 20 November 2025 in Cape Town, South Africa at the age of 99.[6]
Honours and awards
[change | change source]Van den Heever was honored with the Chancellor's Medal from the University of Pretoria in 1996. She also received an honorary LLD from the University of Stellenbosch in 1997 and the Women's Bureau Achievement Award in 1987.[2]
References
[change | change source]- 1 2 "Leonora van den Heever Papers". AtoM@UCT.
- 1 2 3 4 "Signing of the Civic Honours Book" (PDF). City of Cape Town. p. 13.
- ↑ Riding, Alan (2022-03-31). "The Paris Opera's Next Season". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-02.
- 1 2 Southwood, M. D. (1988). "Fathers and their children on our Bench" (PDF). Advocate. General Council of the Bar of South Africa: 21–27.
- ↑ "Vroue-advokaat – amper 'n halfeeu gelede [Female Advocate – almost half a century ago]" (PDF). Advocate. General Council of the Bar of South Africa: 33–35. 1999.
- ↑ South Africa’s first female judge dies at 99 (subscription required)